This was our first cruise of any kind, delayed two years by the pandemic. We did not book air travel or pre/post cruise extensions with Viking so this review applies solely to the Rhine cruise and Viking's customer service. All experiences with Viking were truly excellent. From the moment we stepped on the boat, everyone we met with Viking made us feel welcome, learned our names and did everything possible to ensure we enjoyed our experience. They succeeded! Our Veranda A stateroom was very nice and we enjoyed the veranda even if we had little time to spend on it. The food was excellent and service was five-star. We did a mixture of included and optional on-shore excursions, all led by local guides very knowledgable in their subject matter, and all of which provided invaluable learning experiences of the culture and history of the area. The on-shore excursions were both physically and intellectually beautiful, exceeding even the expectations created by the Viking descriptions. The evening program, beginning with interesting, informative before-dinner briefings, followed after dinner by various cultural offerings, was a perfect ending to the day. Along the way we enjoyed meeting and spending time with many other travelers.

Viking clearly has a standard of excellent customer service. Beginning with our initial river cruise booking in 2019, continuing through the delays of the pandemic and rebooking the cruise we finally took, the Viking agents introduced us to the Viking commitment to ensure we would have a truly wonderful experience. We've booked another cruise next year, this time bringing our two grown daughters because we know it will be a beautiful family experience.